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GI Outlook: Preparing physicians for a changing practice landscape
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Starting this Friday, August 10, Healio Gastroenterology and Liver Disease will be onsite in Austin, TX, as the official media partner for GI Outlook, bringing the latest in practice management news to our daily feed.
This year’s GI Outlook meeting focuses on leadership in gastroenterology practice – for all practitioners from hospitalists to those in independent private practice – and how to prepare for the coming changes in technology, government regulations and payment models. Healio had the opportunity to speak with course directors Costas H. Kefalas, MD, MMM, FASGE; Colleen M. Schmitt, MD, MHS, FASGE; and Joseph J. Vicari, MD, MBA, FASGE, to hear what they have planned for this meeting.
“The title of this year’s conference – ‘No Limits to Achieving Prosperity’ – really sums up what we want to do with this course. Despite the increasing challenges that the clinician in practice faces in gastroenterology, there are opportunities to overcome those challenges. The point of this meeting is to provide the tools and skills needed to the practitioners whether they are physicians, advanced practice providers, or practice administrators,” Kefalas told Healio. “We have spent time evaluating each speaker and topic to be sure that course attendees will get the maximum out of the topic and speaker. ... This course is for anyone who practices GI, whether they’re in the private setting, academic setting, hospital practice or independent practice. We really wanted to choose topics that would apply across the spectrum of GI practice. We hope we have achieved that.”
Workshops, Succession Planning
The meeting kicks off with two workshops, one focusing on the principles of practice and the other on strategic planning for practice leaders.
In the strategic planning session, Schmitt called attention to the change management topic:
“The reason I like that is because it’s a topic that you don’t devote enough time to. ... You hope natural leaders will be born or rise to the surface, but as our groups grow, this is an area where our practices need to concentrate,” she said.
That leadership role maintains its focus as the official meeting kicks off and Glenn M. Eisen, MD, MPH, FASGE, speaks to further developing the next leaders and Vicari focuses on succession planning.
“We believe that’s a way to solidify opportunities for the future as practices think about how to move through the next phases and how they can thrive as value-based payment takes hold,” Schmitt said.
The first day wraps with a keynote talk from Thomas M. Deas Jr., MD, MMM, FASGE, who is tasked with redefining success in today’s ever-changing health care landscape.
Payment models, Metrics
On Saturday, attendees will enter the realm of the quality payment program (QPP) and evolving payment models.
“There are many things changing in the practice management aspect of medicine. In addition to having to run a business, we have to manage the complexities of the government as a payer. We need to understand the business of running a practice and also the business aspect of payment model changes from CMS and private payers,” Vicari said.
In the second keynote address, David S. Nilasena, MD, MSPH, MS, from CMS will discuss how the QPP is evolving thus far.
“The timing is superb, as CMS just released their proposed rule for the 2019 Quality Payment Program. Dr. Nilasena will hopefully speak on this proposed rule,” Kefalas said.
“Glenn D. Littenberg, MD, MACP, FASGE’s talk – Opportunities in Care Coordination, Transition of Care and Chronic Care Management – will really bring home the message that GIs need to think outside their narrow space in terms of how we can make primary care practices around us successful,” Schmitt said. “How do we fit that piece of the puzzle into the bigger picture? Where can we use thoughtfulness and technology to take better care of the patients and the practices around us? What else can you bring to the table?”
In the second half of that day, attendees will get a glimpse of how technology and metrics can change a practice with talks from David H. Robbins, MD, FASGE; Brian C. Jacobson, MD, MPH, FASGE; and Frank J. Chapman, MBA.
“More than ever people need metrics to determine improvement. We think we are doing well, but are we doing well? We need to understand the data we have and how you use that from a metric standpoint,” Vicari said.
Attendees can then choose from three breakouts focusing on either technology, service lines or GIQuIC, while the day wraps up with the last keynote from Daniel O’Connell, PhD, who will discuss physician burnout.
Marketing, Debates
The meeting itself wraps up with a marketing best practices and social media talk from Reed B. Hogan II, MD, and a session looking at “The Gift of Independence.”
Vicari also highlighted the debate between incoming ASGE president Klaus Mergener, MD, PhD, MBA, FASGE, and outgoing president Karen L. Woods, MD, FASGE, where they will take the sides of employment vs. independence.
“The most important thing is to understand that clinical GI changes rapidly and that keeps us busy on a day to day basis. In addition, it is difficult, when you’re busy, to stay up to date with rapidly evolving topics in practice management. Employed or independent, physicians must do their best to stay current with practice management updates,” Vicari said.
GI Outlook aims to put the latest and greatest in practice management in front of the practicing gastroenterologists. Follow along here and on Twitter @HealioGastro for our ongoing coverage.